Rare Footage of Jose Bautista’s Bat Flip

Just when you thought you’ve seen every angle and vantage point of Jose Bautista’s defining moment as a Toronto Blue Jay, there’s one more. Not many people have seen this alternate angle of Bautista’s bat flip home run from Game 5 of the 2015 ALDS.

In previous iterations, we’ve seen Jose Bautista toss his bat out of frame and then it falls back down towards the ground – but has there ever been a camera angle which carries the entire flight path of Bautista’s bat flip from start to finish?

Yes … and it’s glorious.

I can’t recall exactly where this footage came from – I want to say it was a Sportsnet special from earlier this winter? It’s definitely not from the Fox broadcast feed, so tip of the cap to Sportsnet for this.

Video via Sportsnet

For me, the best part is following the bat in the air from start to finish. Notice how the bat dances in the air – does a full 360 – and then lands on the ground? The trajectory of Bautista’s bat is nothing short of majestic.

Not only that, but it’s fun to scan the dugout and watch the various Blue Jays player reactions – from Stroman’s kangaroo hop, to Martin’s hop over the railing, to Navarro’s leap into the air.

Ian has been writing about the Toronto Blue Jays since 2007. He enjoyed the tail-end of the Roy Halladay era and vividly remembers the Alex Rodriguez "mine" incident. He'll also retell the story of Game 5 of the ALDS to his kids for the next 20 years.